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Canada got the last hurrah at the Celebration of Light Saturday evening, closing the three-night event with a winning display. Canada was declared the winner of the event, with Brazil and China finishing second and third, respectively.

The BC Coroners Service confirmed Monday the women were Olivia Sonja Robertson and Valentine Leborgne, both 19 and both living in Vancouver while attending the University of British Columbia

Valentine Leborgne, left, and Olivia Robertson were both killed in a head on crash on the Sea-to-Sky Highway on Nov. 23, 2013.

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VANCOUVER -- The parents of Olivia Sonja Robertson and Valentine Leborgne met for the first time Monday, minutes before they made their way to the front of a crowd of hundreds gathered to mourn the deaths of their daughters, two friends who were killed in a weekend car crash on the Sea-to-Sky Highway.

Students, teachers and administrators packed the rotunda at the University of B.C.’s Chan Centre to pay their respects to the girls, who were remembered as positive, uplifting presences on campus, in their residences, and in the community.

Leborgne was born on a rainy day, her father recalled. After he registered his daughter with the officials, he came outside to find that the rain had stopped.

“In every catastrophe there is always something to take out and learn from,” he said. “Valentine chose this place because you have something here. Nurture it.”

Leborgne, of Los Altos, Calif., and Robertson of Collingwood, Ont., were killed Saturday in a head-on crash.

The B.C. Coroners Service says the two 19-year-old students died when their vehicle crossed the centre line and slammed into a pickup truck.

“We are so sad about this terrible loss,” said one of the teachers who spoke Monday. “Olivia was one of the most vivacious students I had last year.”

She said Robertson had supported causes in the Downtown Eastside, and she was always asking what she could do to help others.

“We’re just so appreciative of the time we got to know them,” said a group of three roommates and friends.

Robertson was remembered by some of those who spoke as a competitive and able athlete and a great fan of the outdoors.

Others said she and Leborgne made others feel welcome when they were new to campus and always had a smile to give.

The two friends were headed toward Whistler in a Jeep Cherokee Saturday morning, with Robertson driving and Leborgne in the front passenger seat. There were two other women in the back seat.

The coroners service and the RCMP are both investigating why the Jeep crossed the centre line.

Robertson and Leborgne died when the two vehicles smashed into one another. The women in the back seat survived the crash, although one was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The driver of the truck suffered minor injuries.

The case’s lead investigator, RCMP Const. Bryan Bare, said his team is still trying to determine if the girls’ Jeep hit a patch of black ice near Loggers Creek, which is one of the few stretches of the highway with only one lane in each direction.

“We don’t know at this time if there was ice on the roadway,” Bare said. “It might have played a factor at that time in the morning that stretch of highway doesn’t see a lot of sunlight.”

The Chevy driver escaped with minor injuries and will not be facing any charges, Bare added.

“Obviously he was quite distressed,” Bare said.

The crash shut down Highway 99 for most of Saturday.

“The hearts and prayers of the RCMP go out to the families of these four young women,” RCMP Insp. Tim Shields said on Saturday.